diff --git a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Milkdrop.js b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Milkdrop.js
index 9e44cb6f..f1dc30a8 100644
--- a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Milkdrop.js
+++ b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Milkdrop.js
@@ -179,6 +179,24 @@ export default class Milkdrop extends React.Component {
     }
   }
 
+  async loadPresets(presetFiles) {
+    const presets = {};
+    const milkFiles = Array.from(presetFiles).filter(file =>
+      file.name.endsWith(".milk")
+    );
+    for (let i = 0; i < milkFiles.length; i++) {
+      const file = milkFiles[i];
+      presets[file.name] = { file };
+    }
+    const numPresets = this.props.presets.loadPresets(presets);
+    this.selectPreset(
+      await this.props.presets.selectIndex(
+        Math.floor(Math.random() * numPresets)
+      ),
+      PRESET_TRANSITION_SECONDS
+    );
+  }
+
   closePresetOverlay() {
     this.setState({ presetOverlay: false });
   }
@@ -196,6 +214,7 @@ export default class Milkdrop extends React.Component {
             selectPreset={async idx => {
               this.selectPreset(await this.props.presets.selectIndex(idx), 0);
             }}
+            loadPresets={async presetFiles => this.loadPresets(presetFiles)}
             closeOverlay={() => this.closePresetOverlay()}
           />
         )}
diff --git a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/PresetOverlay.js b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/PresetOverlay.js
index 1cb28f03..7bc97d22 100644
--- a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/PresetOverlay.js
+++ b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/PresetOverlay.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import React from "react";
+import { promptForFileReferences } from "../../fileUtils";
 
 class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
   constructor(props) {
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
   _handleFocusedKeyboardInput = e => {
     switch (e.keyCode) {
       case 38: // up arrow
-        this.setState({ presetIdx: Math.max(this.state.presetIdx - 1, 0) });
+        this.setState({ presetIdx: Math.max(this.state.presetIdx - 1, -1) });
         e.stopPropagation();
         break;
       case 40: // down arrow
@@ -34,7 +35,11 @@ class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
         e.stopPropagation();
         break;
       case 13: // enter
-        this.props.selectPreset(this.state.presetIdx);
+        if (this.state.presetIdx === -1) {
+          this.loadLocalDir();
+        } else {
+          this.props.selectPreset(this.state.presetIdx);
+        }
         e.stopPropagation();
         break;
       case 27: // escape
@@ -44,6 +49,11 @@ class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
     }
   };
 
+  async loadLocalDir() {
+    const fileReferences = await promptForFileReferences({ directory: true });
+    this.props.loadPresets(fileReferences);
+  }
+
   render() {
     if (!this.props.presetKeys) {
       return (
@@ -67,12 +77,13 @@ class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
     presetListLen = Math.min(Math.max(presetListLen, 3), numPresets);
     presetListLen = presetListLen % 2 ? presetListLen : presetListLen - 1;
     const halfPresetListLen = Math.floor(presetListLen / 2);
-    let startIdx = Math.max(this.state.presetIdx - halfPresetListLen, 0);
+    let startIdx = Math.max(this.state.presetIdx - halfPresetListLen, -1);
     let endIdx = Math.min(startIdx + presetListLen, numPresets);
     if (endIdx >= numPresets) {
-      startIdx = Math.max(endIdx - presetListLen, 0);
+      startIdx = Math.max(endIdx - presetListLen, -1);
       endIdx = Math.min(startIdx + presetListLen, numPresets);
     }
+    startIdx = Math.max(startIdx, 0); // ensure startIdx >= 0 after endIdx is calculated
     const presets = this.props.presetKeys.slice(startIdx, endIdx);
     const presetElms = presets.map((presetName, i) => {
       let color;
@@ -94,6 +105,20 @@ class PresetOverlay extends React.Component {
       );
     });
 
+    if (this.state.presetIdx - halfPresetListLen < 0) {
+      let color;
+      if (this.state.presetIdx === -1) {
+        color = "#FF5050";
+      } else {
+        color = "#CCCCCC";
+      }
+      presetElms.unshift(
+        <li key={"localDir"} style={{ color }}>
+          Load Local Directory
+        </li>
+      );
+    }
+
     return (
       <div
         style={{
diff --git a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Presets.js b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Presets.js
index cc2c3250..9e43777e 100644
--- a/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Presets.js
+++ b/js/components/MilkdropWindow/Presets.js
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ export default class Presets {
     return [startIdx, endIndx];
   }
 
+  loadPresets(presets) {
+    this._keys = Object.keys(presets);
+    this._presets = presets;
+    this._history = [];
+
+    return this._keys.length;
+  }
+
   async next() {
     let idx;
     if (this._randomize || this._history.length === 0) {